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Plane Rides & Waterslides

“To Go” is one of the most popular wish categories that the Make-a-Wish Foundation® fulfills on a daily basis with their wish-granting powers. All over the world, children with life-threatening illnesses ask their wish granters to go somewhere special to spend time making memories with their family members. In the Orange County and Inland Empire, the Small Business Growth Alliance (SBGA) partnered with the Make-a-Wish Foundation® to provide a six-year-old’s wish to go to her most heartfelt destination: Hawaii.

“Well the wish destination was Hawaii, but in reality, Aryam really just wanted to go on an airplane,” Make-a-Wish Foundation® Orange County and Inland Empire’s Sarah Pizzaruso disclosed during a presentation to the wish-sponsoring company. “She was excited to get on that airplane more than anything – so the wish started well before they hit the sands.”

Aryam and her family, including two brothers and sisters, were escorted to the airport via limousine and were soon up in the air, where Aryam experienced her first ever airplane trip. When they landed on the shores of Hawaii, the family was greeted with traditional Hawaiian leis, a hotel room with a beautiful view, and access to pools, ocean waves, and waterslides to keep the whole family occupied.

“We didn’t confirm the number, but Aryam said she went down the waterslide ‘a million’ times,” Ms. Pizzaruso joked.

After a full week of sun and sand on the shores of Hawaii, Aryam and her family returned home filled with memories from the trip and gratitude to those who helped make Aryam’s most heartfelt wish come true. Aryam’s wish marks the 57th wish granted through the partnership between the Make-a-Wish Foundation® and the Small Business Growth Alliance (SBGA).